News
Fatigue Countermeasures: Improving Operator Vigilance
Fatigue – We’ve all been there. You’ve been staring at a computer screen for hours. Fatigue is setting in. Eyelids slowly fluttering; getting heavier, struggling to keep them open… not realizing they’re closed now. Then blinking rapidly- “How long was I out?!” “Did anyone see?” “…and still four hours to go in this shift…. how […]
Pre-Engineered Metal Building (PEMB) – What to know
PEMB Vendor by GC after Bid & Award of the project…a few things to consider: If a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) structure is able to be used for a new building approach, certain implications to the project stakeholders and design team must be understood as the project gets underway. www.SLARC.com Smith LaRock Architecture P.C. specializes […]
Design-Build versus Design-Bid-Build
Design or build? How about both. The traditional Design-Bid-Build process for delivering new construction has been giving way over the past few years to an approach that offers many benefits to Owners, Architects and Builders. Termed Design-Build, it reduces …the two steps of selecting an architect and bidding a project to just one where the […]
Impacts of 24/7 Shiftwork on Operators
A high level summary of the physiological effects on control room operators Operators – this is for you: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly twenty four million Americans either work a night shift or rotate in and out of night shifts. That’s a significant portion of the USA’s workforce being exposed to the […]
2021 Award – Industry Era Review: Smith LaRock Architecture P.C.
“WE APPROACH THE DESIGN OF ALL THESE FACILITIES WITH A ‘USER-CENTRIC’ DESIGN APPROACH, PUTTING THE USERS AT THE CENTER OF THE DESIGN FOCUS AND APPLYING BEST PRACTICE ‘HUMAN FACTORS’ TO OPTIMIZE THE OPERATORS’ VIGILANCE AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS “ -Mike Smith Smith LaRock Architecture was incorporated partially out of frustration, mainly out of a need […]
Costs Applied to Blast Criteria
click the link below to view the info: LP – Costs Applied to Blast Resistant Design
Terminal/ Wharf Control Buildings Case Study
Learn how we designed a terminal control building to be built on land, shipped to the sea, and dropped into place by boat. Maritime safety regulations and requirements caused higher construction costs and extended time lines. SLA and its consultants developed an approach that would mitigate these hurdles by designing a building to be built […]
Case Study – Power Utility DOC (Distributions Operations Center)
LP – Power Utility: DOC – Distribution Operations Center
Predesign Checklist
Time to get your project started? Don’t let one of these items hold up your project, extend your schedule or overextend your budget. Where’s your checklist? Are you prepared to start the project and engage the architect and engineers? Do you have all the relevant information they’ll need to hit the ground running? Does your […]
Smith LaRock services
- BIM (Building Information Modeling)
- Blast Resistant Design
- Building Sizing and Space Planning
- Chemical and Hazardous Material Inventory & Assessments
- Conceptual Design Options
- Construction and Contract Administration
- Cost Analysis and Estimating
- Energy Code and Envelope Design
- Engineering Services (through consultants)
- Engineering Standards and Deviation Approvals
- Equipment Inventories
- Existing Building Analysis
- Feasibility Assessments
- Findings and Recommendations Reports
- Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FFE)
- HMI (Human Machine Interface)
- Interior Design
- Life-Safety and Building Code Analysis
- Pre-Design and Programming
- Request for Proposal (RFP) Writing Services
- Site and Campus Master Planning
- Turnkey Architectural Design
- Virtual Reality and 3D View
